Steele Holting Out For You 4/?
Date: Tuesday, December 26, 2000
Breezy <giglnbreez@aol.com>

Well, this is the next part. I hope everyone is having a good holiday season. My sister just reminded me that someone should wish everyone a happy Kwanza, so there it is. Also I'm giving permission to archive, but I would reccomend waiting until it's done. I'm planning on adding a few little extras like a DVD. :) As for the warnings there's a few very mild moments, but nothing they wouldn't put on daytime soaps. Hope you enjoy!
Breezy


"Sometimes angels rush in where fools fear to tread."
-Cary Grant
Loretta Young, David Niven
The Bishop's Wife, RKO Radio Pictures,1947


Mildred had a brainstorm that ended in a flood. She ran back to the office to set up phase one. From there it was back to her house to set the rest of her plan into motion.
****
Static broke the more than companionable atmosphere in Laura's loft.

Laura growled, "I should have turned that off one hundred and," she looked at the case and shut the TV off, "fifteen minutes ago." She moved back to Murphy and draped her arms about his neck.

"Where were we? I'm not sure I can think," Murphy swallowed hard as Laura started nibbling on his neck, "I, uh, I think I re--"
Laura looked up, "Shut up. I'm sorry, I just..."

Murphy's lips sought and found Laura's when the phone rang, "Dammit," Laura snaked through her teeth. She jumped up and answered the demanding appliance.

"Hello... Mildred, is that you? Where are you? What's going..." She hung up the phone.
Murphy had trailed Laura over, "Is something wrong?" He drew her close and held her tight. He knew something was wrong, but she didn't answer. He started nuzzling her hair and neck.

"Don't do that. Not now. I'm sorry Murph. That was Mildred. She didn't make much sense. I'm going to call and check with Mr. Steele. I'm really sorry," Laura was pleading at this point. She knew as soon as she said his name the mood was ruined quite possibly for good.

"Go ahead, I suppose I understand. You two probably know her best from what you've told me. I'll just head back to my hotel. Call me if you need any help," he kissed her one more time trying to convince both of them that this was just an interruption and not the end.
****

"Steele here. Laura! How was the cli-- eh? Mildred? I'll be right over. Oh, and Laura, she'll be alright." Click. He hung up the phone. He ran into his bathroom and checked his reflection. Upon assessment he decided he needed to change out of his pajamas. He threw on a pair of black jeans and a black shirt since he didn't know where the night would lead them.
****

Laura slid the door open and smiled in relief. Remington stepped in and closed it behind him. "I got here as soon as I possibly could. I didn't think showing up in my pjs would be very helpful," he tried to joke, but he was just as worried as Laura if not more so.

"It's ok, I had to make a couple of calls. Fred should be downstairs now. We're going to run to the office first, and then we'll go to her house. We need to figure out what she was going to do when she left," she looked up into his face looking for some kind of recognition, "hey, it's going to be alright. You told me yourself," he drew her into a hug that they both needed.

"I know it will be. I just hope we figure this out," Laura started to push him away, "then maybe you'll tell me what this is all about." He frowned as he followed her out the door.
****

Mildred just put the finishing touches on her living room and was on her way to the airport in a taxi, hoping she had left just enough clues to leave her kids busy for the night. She ran through her checklist in her head. She left the number of the restaurant she ate at on her desk, tore apart the office, her house, paid for her ticket with a credit card that she left on the floor near the phone, and a quickly scribbled note. The message didn't make much sense, just enough to cause concern.
"Hey lady, don't you work for that Plated Bic guy?"

"Hmmm?" Mildred wasn't used to being recognized, even if they got the name wrong, "yeah, honey, why do you ask?"

"I thought so. That guy sent my kid brother to jail about six months ago. I didn't like that at all. How do you think he would feel if I sent one of his employees for a permanent vacation? Think he'd know not to mess with the O'Doyles then?"

"What? I'm sorry I was a little busy back here cleaning my gat," she knew she was in real trouble and she didn't like it.
"Just remember lady, O'Doyles rule," he took a turn on to a quite side road and slowed to look for some woods.
****

"Oh no," Laura gasped as she saw the doors to the office held open with a plant. Steele held on to her shoulder to keep her standing, at least that's what he was telling himself.

"Icy calm, Laura. We haven't seen the inside yet. Maybe it's just the one plant," he needed her to be strong. He felt like he was loosing his grip on his life, but he couldn't leave it. He had done it before, but he couldn't leave now. He cared about these women, all of them. Even Laura's mother, he felt like he belonged here, with her family and with Mildred. He needed this, he had been searching for this forever. But it was time to focus on the present. "Dear Lord. Laura, I think we should call the police."

The office was in shambles. They couldn't move in past the doors because there was no path. "Mr. Steele, I would like to remind you that we are private investigators. Very good private investigators. I think we should work our way inside and see if there are any clues. Then we will go to her house. She'll be ok she has to be. I say we give it until morning. If we haven't found her by then, but we will, we can call the police. Why don't you check in here and I'll go check our offices."
She attempted a path across the room, having to redirect her way several times before she got to a door. When she got through the mess she shut herself in and ran to call Murphy. She had to explain what she had found so far.
 
End Part 4
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